Breanna -this looks great! I would just ask that you include the date of your entry as well as the page numbers. Thanks! Mrs. W
The Other Victims
Entry one
Summary
Bubili: A Young Gypsy's Fight For Survival.
The Romani were called gypsies because the Europeans mistaked them for Egyptians, beacause of their dark skin. Of all of Hitler's victims, Jews and Gypsies were the only groups to be destroyed completely. Hitler labeled them socially inferior ratially impure, and criminals.Scientists were commanded to measure the skulls of the gypsies to show were inadequate. Tests were created to show that Gypsies' blood was different from normal blood. These tests were wrong. The Gypsy blood was no different from anyone. In the early 1300's the Romani migrated from India. They were different. They had dark skin, they spoke a different language, and they had different customs. They couldn't claim land that was already claimed. Because of this they lived in wagons. Romani were illiterate (except for their own languages) so they could not get jobs. There were only their ancient trades as armor makers, basket weavers, musicians, jewlers, and horse traders. This made them a threat to local craftsmen. Preists feared them because they could "tell the future." They were not welcome in churches. Many countries made laws to keep the Romani out after they were no longer slaves.
Gypsy hunting was a common pastime. They were wanted dead or alive. In some cases if a Romani woman was found their left ear would be cut off. This is where the Nazis got their hatred for the gypsies. Many laws were made to let the nazis do what they did. they passed law to be allowed to sterilize (make a person not able to have kids) the Romani. Mny children were taken from their parents to be tested on with Cyclon-B, or Zyclon-B, gas. In the shortage of people, many male Romani were sent to the German army. eventually they became people open the be taken to concentration camps. Most were gassed instead of experiments. One of the experiments was to see how much salt water a person could drink before dying. _*_*_*_*_*_ Bubili was a gypsy. He went to the movies. When he walked in, "Heil Schuschnigg!" When he walked out, "Heil Hitler!" he asked a man what was going on. the man said that he should go home right away. His father was happy to see him home. he was on his way to visit his uncle when a man stopped his and asked for his papers Bubli said that his papers were at home and he would go get them. the dman threw Bubili in jail. He hadn't known what was going on in Germany. He couldn't read. When the police put him in jail they said he was going to a concentration camp. he didn't know what that was. He knew he had o get out. he stole a knife from a man nd cut his way out of the wooden window frame. He crossed the border into Yugoslavia.
Vocab
Taboo- a prejudice that prohibits the use or mention of something because of sacred nature
Oppression- The act of imposing cruelty
Unfounded- Without a basis in reason or fact
Reparations- compensation for an injjury or insult
Wiry- stringy, lean
entry two date 3-22
summary pg 15-28 (unfortunately my book has many different stories so they may get split apart as i go along) On his way to the border Bubili was caught when his jail mate ran from a police man. The man told Bubili to go back where he came from. Bubili was scared to go home.he went to another part of the Yugoslavian border. He hid in the woods. He was used to living in the woods. he caught rabbits and squrels and roasted them for food. For months Bubili lived in and out of prispn and he was always on the run. Once Yugoslavia got to hot for bubili he went to Hungary. There he met another gypsy who had lost his wife. Bubili took care of ths man's two young children while he worked. Bubili worked as a dancer and a musician for money.One place where he was a dancer was a tavern. the police burst into the tavern one night and arrested all the gypsies. While waiting for a train Bubili ran into a crowd of people, The police were afraid to shoot. He jumped into the Danube River and swam until it was safe to go ashore. he went to a tavern in Czechoslovakia. when the tavern closed he started to walk down a street. He met up with some Gypsy musicians. They knew Bubili's father. Bubili said to them that he wanted to go home. They said it might not be safe because they didn't know if the Germans had invaded Austria or not. Bubili stayed with his new friends. At his friends' camp some of his family was there. is father said that Bubili should live with his mother's broter. He might be more safe there. The next day Bubili hiked to his uncle's house. there he stayed in a shack at the top of a hill. the next morning Germans came and took over the house.Bubili tried to run for it but was caught. they were taken to the police station. When they got to Dauchau they all lined up fces to the sun. they were each given a number as their name. then teir picture was taken. They all got the same size shoes and clothes.whether you were short, tall, skinny, fat, old, adult, or child. As a gypsy, Bubili had to wear a brown triangle to identify him as a gypsy. Bubili was moved with many others to Buchenwald. Here everything that you did had to be fast. Bubili had an uncle who had one leg wasn’t fast enough for one of the guards. The guard whipped Bubili’s uncle to death. Bubili kept telling himself, “I am Bubili. I will out live those b***. I will one day give testimony.” One winter morning everyone stood in a line for role call. Every seventh man was killed. Bubili, Bubili’s father, and Bubili’s mother’s brother were all safe for now. In 1941 all Austrian gypies were sent to and Austrian concentration camp. Bubili had a good kapo (barrack leader). Bubili was very concerned for his father. His father used to be a strong tall man. He had shrunk to half his size, he was skinny, and bearded. Soon later Bubili’s father and one of his uncles were sent supposedly to a different camp. They were gassed on the truck. Bubili wouldn’t eat. His kapo made him eat though. Bubili ended up getting a job as a cook. In six years Bubili was at a total of ten camps. One of the camps was called stairway to heaven. It was a set of rock stairs with no sides. You went to the top with a rock and threw it of the top step. If you slipped you were likely to die. Especially if you were on the side. At another camp Bubili found children. They were going to be sent to death. There were also elderly people who were likely to die within the next week. Bubili got the numbers of the children switched with the numbers of the elderly people. The children were saved for that much longer. After that Bubili felt like the Nazis because he had chosen who had lived and who had died. Pink triangle: The Nazi war against homosexuals. Throughout history homosexuals have been ridiculed. They have been put down and made fun of for being different. Ancient and modern societies have hurt homosexuals alike. More than one hundred years ago Kaiser Wilhelm’s government passed Paragraph 175 of the Prussian Penal Code. When this was passed being a homosexual was a crime. This still existed when Nazis came to power. Hitler was so against gays that when his second in command (Ernst Roehm) wanted to take over the army he called him a homosexual. Even after Roehm was trialed and found not gay, he was still disrespected for the accusation. Hitler asked town officials to get him lists of known gays. The author of may book couldn’t find a homosexual willing to talk about his or her stories because of how the were hurt. Vocab Inequity- unfairness; injustice by virtue Contempt- lack of respect with a feeling of strong dislike Shunned- deliberately avoiding association with Regime- a set of conditions (usually politically) Castration- neutering a male animal
Entry #3 pg 29-42
4/3/11
Summary
Pastor Christian Reger: Barracks 26 Hitler wanted not only to conquer the, but to also create a new religion. The new religion was based on the loyalty to Nazi ideals. These ideals were the purity of German blood and the willingness to die for Hitler. The cross was going to be replaced with the swastika. there was going to be a new testament. And the holy scripture was going to be Hitler’s own Mein Kampf. Old German gods were going to be worshipped again. There was a problem with the plan to take over to churches. The people weren’t going to let the churches get taken over. Hitler had to get mind control. He was going to get all the people against one enemy. The easiest target was the Jews. There was a long history of Jew- hatred in German churches. Jews who didn’t convert were considered unworthy human beings. Most Christian pastors were willing to go along with the Nazis. They didn’t know that Hitler as going to destroy Christianity nest. Hitler even told the pope straight out that Christianity was going to be safe. The catholic youth league was destroyed too. The children had to go to a Nazi youth group. Many Germans protested. The pope’s only public protest was something called “With Burning Sorrow.” Even with the objection the pope didn’t mention the persecution of Jews. By 1938 Hitler had abolished all catholic news papers. That same year one man named Cardinal Faulhaber spoke out against the Nazis. Afterward Hitler tried to burn down his house. Most German catholic priests stayed quiet. The people who stayed with their churches was just as many who went against. The most just stood in the middle and didn’t know what to do. Anyone who helped Jews or didn’t convert were sent to concentration camps. The priests and pastors were sent to Dachau. -*-*-*-* on his first sermon pastor Christian Reger wore his brown shirt uniform. This showed that he was part of the new nationalist spirit. Christian’s wife and the people that watched his sermon were very excited. He didn’t like Hitler’s raving but he did like how much hope that he gave to the hungry people. Hitler wasn’t chancellor yet but he promised Germany prosperity and power. One day when Christian and his wife, Mina, were walking in the woods they saw a man baptize his new born son on a swastika. Since that was the pastor’s duty Mina and Christian were shocked. Mina packed away Christian’s uniform. The next Sunday, Christian preached about the sacredness of baptism. The next night protestors threatened Christian and his wife in their own house. They decided to stay and fight instead of leaving. It was difficult with the constant pressure of the Nazis to convert. His church grew smaller and smaller. He was captured but soon let go. He kept protesting with every German outburst. He kept getting arrested for protesting. In 1940 he was arrested for a third time. He was in the cell for weeks wondering if he would ever see mina again. Many different types of prisoners were handcuffed together and forced to railroad station. He was treated worse that the dogs were in the concentration camps. He was given a red triangle for political prisoner. He was sent to barracks 26. Everyone in the barracks wanted to know news of the outside world. In the barracks here was a little “chapel” in the corner. They had a sermon every Sunday. One day one of the prisoners was sick. They were sent to the “infirmary.” They were actually were going to be gassed and burned. Christian didn’t know that. He went to the doctor to find out what happened and he was almost gassed himself.
Vocab
Rites- an established, ceremonial act (usually religious)
Bludgeoned-to hit with heavy impact, to overcome with aggressive argument
Solace- a source of relief or consolation of grief
Reverberated- to become driven back, to be reflected
Concordat-an agreement between the pope and a sovern or government
Entry #4 4/3/11
Summary pg 43-56
In the barracks many new prisoners kept arriving. Even with the ever increasing death toll, the barracks was crowded. One new inmate came with news of what they were doing with the inmates being experimented on. He said they were being infected with malaria. This inmate died soon after. They had a service for him. The service was interrupted. They never finished the service. Many of his closest friends were going to die if they hadn’t already. One man was going to become a priest before he was imprisoned. There was a big service for him. People made clothes from scraps of clothing to be nicer for the service. April 2, 1945 some of the prisoners were released. One of these prisoners was named Pastor Christian Reger.
Elizabeth’s family: Twelve Jehovah’s witnesses faithful unto death.
Jehovah’s witnesses were of German descent and most had blonde hair and blue eyes. They were even Christians. They were still an inferior race. They refused to serve on the army. The Nazis called them traitors. They even refused to salute the Nazi flag. Nazis deemed them dangerous. They were banned from holding meetings. At first the welfare of children was a concern but that went away soon. They had to wear purple arm bands out in public.-*-*-*-* Annemarie shouted for Elizabeth to hide he pamphlets and books because a Gestapo was coming. Elizabeth took the books and Magdalena took the pamphlets. They hid them in the bushes in the backyard. Their father always taught his eleven children what it meant to be a Jehovah’s witness. He had sensed something bad was going to happen. The Nazis were always trying to get them to renounce their faith. One Gestapo even came to their house and told them they had to sign a promise not to be Jehovah’s witnesses. Their father refused to sign and was then called a fool. When their mother didn’t sign either their children were out of parents. Mother was released soon after even though she still refused to sign. Then they started life just as normal but without father. Their father was released a year later. A few months later their oldest brother and son was killed in an accident. The family was without hope afterward. In school Elizabeth and her two younger brothers refused to “Heil Hitler.” They got sent to reform schools. Elizabeth escaped after about a year. Her younger brothers were home safe but her oldest brothers left were sent to the army and their parents were in concentration camps. While she had gone one of her brothers had been shot for refusing to go to the army. Somehow their mother convinced the authorities to allow their father out for the funeral. Another brother had been beheaded for not joining the army.
Vocab
Ordained- appointed, fixed or established
Professed- to practice teachings or claims; to be knowledgeable about
Subversive- a rational supporter of political revolution
Incarceration- captivity, the state of being imprisoned
Renounce- give up duties and obligations
entry #5
4/6/11 summary pg 57- 70 Elizabeth’s family that was home brought her to the garden to see the letters that her family had sent. She read them aloud. All these letters were very heart breaking for her. Every day they went to the post office and the railroad station. they always hoped there would be something new for them to enjoy, a letter or a family member that they missed. one night really late a brother had come home. he was sent into the army instead of a concentration camp. Another afternoon, the father came home hidden in a sheep trailer. he had a broken leg. The next to come home was a brother who was supported by a nurse. He had tuberculosis and was to die no matter what. A sister came home next. then another sister and the mother. The whole family was back together Franziska: a silent protest against sterilization Hitler didn’t start the master race idea. He did put these theories into practice. German Scientists were very eager to do “tests.” They wanted to alter genes to make them perfect. First they had to identify “inferior” people. When the Jews lost jobs, the hereditarily blind, deaf, physically or mentally handicapped, or alcoholics were to be sterilized. To be sterilized is to be “fixed” on a human. This today is illegal. Even teachers turned in deaf students. With the war outbreak, the Nazis decided that this was an unjust way of getting rid of people. They ended up just “mercy killing” them. There was a lot of conflict. The final decision was that there would be extermination centers. The ones not able to work were sent to gas chambers. Franziska (fanny) Schwartz was one deaf person. *-*-*-*- she knew a lot of deaf people and didn’t see anything wrong with it. In school the teachers got mad if she signed. She didn’t like to talk she didn’t know how. When Hitler took over Germany, her brother came home after a rally all excited because he had shaken hands with Hitler. Fanny’s uncle got mad because he didn’t like Hitler. Fanny couldn’t hear the radio so she never got excited about Hitler. Then a letter came that said that she had to be sterilized because she was deaf. Every one was stunned and terrified. They testified. During the hearing her uncle said some bad things about Hitler. He was almost sent to jail. They were denied Fanny not getting sterilized. She started to cry. She had met a partially deaf boy the year before. They would sign for hours. His name was Christian Mikus. They always wished to have children themselves. She was afraid that Christian wouldn’t like her any more if she was sterilized. After they left the courtroom her father said they would run away to Switzerland. Then before they could run off her uncle was arrested for spreading slander. Somehow his brothers got him released. Fanny still had to be sterilized. She was forced to the hospital and screamed the whole way. She was thrown in a room with two other deaf teenagers. The next morning the nurse came in with tranquilizers. Vocab Tribunal- court: an assembly Blasphemy- profanation: blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character Inkling- slight suggestion or vague understanding Liberals- a free market liberal party in Finland Commended- commend - express approval of
Breanna-Entry #6 was due Friday, April 8--this is a late assignment. Mrs. W 4/10
Entry #6 Date 4/10/11 Summary pg 71- 84 She woke up in a room full of beds. Her stomach hurt. She had so much pain she couldn’t go to work. She asked for sick pay but the man in the office denied her request because she could do whatever she wanted and it wouldn’t matter. When Christian came her house she started to cry and thought that he didn’t want to be her boyfriend any more. Christian said that when Fanny was 21 they would get married. In 1938 she missed her period. Christian got excited and said they could now get married. When her mother returned a few months later from helping a sick relative, she saw Fanny’s swollen stomach. She made Fanny see a gynecologist. The doctor had the baby taken away and Fanny was sterilized again. Christian got worried but no one would talk to him. He finally found out and went to the hospital. He was stunned when he saw Fanny. He said that they were going to get married. She was denied a marriage license because Fanny was to be sterilized. After this Fanny’s uncle was arrested again for speaking out. Fanny was sterilized again and Christian and Fanny got married. They found an apartment and lived out the rest of the war. Regina: divorce or Die As the twentieth century came there became more and more Christian and Jewish people mixed in families. In 1935 a law was passed to forbid Christian Jewish marriages. People who refused were sent to concentration camps. Mischilge was the word for Jews who were raised as Christians. One girl named Regina was a Jew who managed to stay married to her Christian husband. *-*-*-*- Regina met her husband, Karl, when she was 16. He came to Berlin to sub for a local doctor. They had a big wedding. After, they set up their own house keeping business. Their happiness was broken when restaurants put up a signs that said Jews and dogs prohibited. In March, Jewish doctors were no longer allowed in hospitals. Karl knew they had to leave. He knew it would only get worse. April the Nazis created boycotts against Jewish owned stores. In May there was burning of books by Jewish authors. That night Regina sent her cousins letters for consent letters to go to America. Christian doctors were not allowed to leave the country. They had a divorce just to get Regina out of the country. The only question asked was if Regina was Jewish. They got consent but they still needed visas. They got to the American embassy Regina wasn’t allowed a visa because he was divorced. Even though they would remarry that wasn’t enough. They finally argued that she had a bank account with 2000 dollars in it and she had family there. They got the visa for Regina. Vocab Registrar-An official responsible for keeping a register or official records Berated-Scold or criticize (someone) angrily Ruse-An action intended to deceive someone; a trick Motorcade-A procession of motor vehicles, typically carrying and escorting a prominent person Assimilation-the state of being assimilated; people of different backgrounds come to see themselves as part of a larger national family Entry # 7 Date 4/10/11 Summary pg 85- 98 Karl and Regina planned to meet in France. When Regina got to France she had trouble getting the telegram needed to tell Karl what ship to meet on. If he got on the wrong ship and got to new York without a visa he wouldn’t get let in. the next morning Karl went looking for what ship to board. He couldn’t get one of the ship’s passenger list. As he was trying to get the list the ship had to take way. He quickly got a ticket and hoped that he could find Regina. Miraculously he was on the right ship. In new York Karl’s visa wasn’t accepted. The official told Karl to go home. Karl’s face turned gray. Regina’s cousin came aboard the ship to support them. An hour later the congressman’s assistant came aboard and said he had checked with the State Department and the visa was valid. No Blacks Allowed The presence of darker skinned people was resented by Germans. Germans weren’t allowed to marry blacks. All blacks were called bad words that I do not feel fit to say in a summary for school. Hitler promised to eliminate these people. Hitler’s hatred spread through all people who had anything to do with blacks except for hating them. Historians are just beginning to examine the files on blacks. Most of the files are still in German. Wolfgang: flight from censorship Hitler tried to achieve mind control with media arts and education. He tried to get a new generation of obedient, strong young men who were eager to fight for him. Girls were eager to have boys who would fight in the army. All sorts of laws were made to restrict media.pictures were made to make Germans look great and Jews look bad. Vocab Pseudonym-A fictitious name, esp. one used by an author Illegitimate-Not authorized by the law; not in accordance with accepted standards or rules Commission-Give an order for or authorize the production of (something such as a building, piece of equipment, or work of art).
Indoctrinate-Teach (a person or group) to accept a set of beliefs uncritically unscrupulous-Having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair
ONE TIP MRS. W WHEN I LOST MY WORK FROM THE SAVING ISSUES ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TRY AND RE-EDIT THE ENTRIES. IT BRINGS UP A RECOVERED DRAFT SIGN, CLICK THE BUTTON THAT SAYS TO EDIT THE RECOVERED DRAFT. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME YOU DON'T SAVE SOMETHING.
Entry #8 4/13/11 Summary pg 99-112 Hitler got all impressionist art taken out of German museums. This was including all Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse, and Van Gogh. Many types of art were banned and confiscated. As an attempt to prove worthless of his art, he made an exhibition of “degenerate” art. It was kind of showing what not to make. But many art lovers decided to come to the exhibition to see the art. Goebbles cancelled it soon after. Right away when people heard of Hitler being chancellor they left. This included Jews and artists. Even though fifty thousand left some people stayed to protest .Many artists hid their talents for a while until the war ended. This was the lost generation of art. This halted artistic development. Wolfgang Behl was one of those who escaped. He escaped to America. -*-*-*-*-*- There were classmates in Wolfgang’s class that were passing out letters. The letters talked rudely about the Jews and how to identify them and what to do about them. Wolfgang himself was not a Jew. But he was studying to be an artist. That was the only offense that he made. He was neighbors and friends with Jews. Seeing these letters appalled him. The people who signed them and were handing them out were very big fans of Hitler. They were always strutting their brown uniforms. Wolfgang became very angry. The Jewish people in the class were the best. Wolfgang stood up for the Jewish people. The boy he yelled at called him “not a real German. “ Wolfgang punched him in the nose. At home Wolfgang was praised for standing up for what he believes in. But then again he did speak out against Hitler. His father did tell Wolfgang that it wasn’t right to do that. Since the boy was part of the Hitler youth group he would have told. Wolfgang was on a train to Berlin in the morning. He stayed with friends of his parents. After a few months a letter came that Wolfgang could go home. When he went home Wolfgang couldn’t attend his old school. His dad enrolled him in the Academy of Fine Arts. He was not registered though. This made it sure that he didn’t have to join the group that made Hitler’s art. While other students were celebrating Hitler he went sailing on Lake Wannsee. One morning Wolfgang woke up and went outside. What had happened the night before stunned him. There was broken glass everywhere and many stores had been broken into and stripped of merchandise. He tried to ask a man what had happened. The man shook his head and walked away. Then Wolfgang got a news paper and read the headlines. Wolfgang ran home to call all of his Jewish friends. He wanted everyone to stay in his parents’ apartment. One day he got a letter to go to the doctor’s and get a physical examination. This meant he was going into the army because he was strong and muscular. He went to the doctor and the doctor said that Wolfgang had a heart problem. Wolfgang was thrilled. He ran out of the office. But then he realized that he shouldn’t over exert himself. He went home to his family and told his tale. His mom took him to the family doctor to get him checked out. HE WAS PERFECTLY HEALTHY! His father again got him on a train out of town so he wouldn’t get examined again. Wolfgang was shipped to America. There he met an artist and was given a job and a place to live. Vocab Excursions- a journey taken for pleasure Enlivened- made sprightly or cheerful Ominous- threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments Affidavit- A signed document wherein an affiant makes a sworn statement Lapse- drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
Entry 9 4/15/11 Summary 113- 126 Grete Hamacher’s father was known for his hate for Nazis. *-*-*-*-*-Grete’s father was not sleeping at home. He was sleeping at a house to stay up late with other social democrats. He also slept there so if they got caught his family wasn’t taken a way to. If his family was questioned they would not know where he was and they could not be punished for being part of it. But most of all the innkeeper of the apartment was threatening to tell the Nazis about his father’s activities. The Nazis were chasing his father to send him to “jail” for being politically unreliable. The green police had torn into their house and gone through everything. They even checked first grade homework. When terror wasn’t rushing through the house, Grete’s mom sewed old clothes into new ones and Grete read on rainy days or pulled weeds in the garden on sunny ones. One day when visiting the local sports club Grete’s uncle came with some shocking news. Grete’s father was taken that night. A day of boating was put aside when a sudden shock of panic ran through Grete and his mother’s veins. He was sent to a concentration camp. Since he was wounded in WWI he was going to be released soon. That was the first word of him that they had in months. When he was to be picked up Grete’s mom told her son to wait at the streetcar stop as she went to get her husband. When they came back mother got off the streetcar but where was his father. The only other person that came off was a skinny, old looking man with a beard. The plan was that Grete’s father would go back to work at the factory. there were a lot of jobs now that Hitler wanted to build trucks and tanks. The problem was that because he went to a concentration camp he was “not fit for hiring. ” he wouldn’t join the Nazi party even though that was the only logical choice. He still resisted. He again join the party against it. The were just making ends meet. Grete’s mom did sewing and laundry for other people. They planted most of their food. Family members would bring money or food to help. Another day father had just gotten home from “visiting” friends. The Gestapo caught him and dragged him down the steps to the street. Grete’s mother kept searching for him trying to find out what concentration camp he was at. He came home once again. Every night they were ready to run. They had knapsacks filled with food and water and they wore their clothing at night. Grete stood by as many towns were leveled. He was ready to hear certain alarms that meant that they were in trouble. Grete got a job at a car company. He used long hours to get out of going to the German club. Grete’s father was taken again. He was taken for questioning. Kept there until September he returned bruised and beaten. Soon after the American soldiers came to rescue people from the Nazis. White sheets were hung in windows to welcome the soldiers. Vocab Plot (of ground)- a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation Elated-exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits Instigated-instigate - incite: provoke or stir up Euthanasia- mercy killing Acrid -pungent: strong and sharp
Entry 10 Date 4/18/11 Summary pg 127- 140 Hitler’s master plan was very farfetched. Even though, he showed his strength by attempting to achieve his goal. What helped Hitler was that people did nothing for others. They just sat back and listened and watched. They just hoped that they weren’t next. The only problem was that people fleeing the countries caused problems. There was a small nation formed to help. This small nation was called Czechoslovakia. One boy called Ondrej Laska was from Czechoslovakia. Ondrej and his brother was awakened at 5 am. They were still in their pajamas as the police told them that they were going for a routine check at the railroad station. The whole family could come with. The biggest problem was that the two twin boys were American soldier they hadn’t done anything wrong either. Being part American got them in a lot of fights. They sounded and spoke differently. One day Ondrej got in a fight. When he came home he had a black eye. He told his parents that it was nothing because the guy hat hit him had two black eyes. They were always taught to defend themselves. They were grown up to be strong and well built. The bullies soon understood that. Then their father was stationed in Algiers, North Africa. At that school on the first day an Arab student lunged at Ondrej with a knife. He put up fists but didn’t use them Vaclav tripped the boy and they ran home. He came in the door with a question but didn’t care that much about his arm that had been cut. That night his father taught the two how to disarm an opponent. They soon returned to Prague. And then they were on their way back to America. And now it’s back to the beginning. Waiting at 5 am in the morning to find out what will happen to their family. They dressed quickly and went with the men. Their mother wouldn’t let go. She held on like tiger. She was not about to lose her sons. They were rushed to the man in charge of the operation. He stuck the in a cell and told them to wait. They asked why they were going to be held here. For slave labor is what the man answered. They didn’t get it slaves had been used in roman times. Then at the cell they were given stew for breakfast. Then and there they made a pact to eat everything that they were given to stay alive. Their mother got them released. They still really missed their father. Ondrej met this man one day who was hiding Jews in a small homemade room. Sometimes he brought better food or he brought lemonade. Then the people were planning some but Ondrej didn’t know what though. It was raining and they couldn’t afford a coat for him. Ondrej lent him his. There was an explosion that night. A man was seen fleeing from the scene. The coat was left behind. Vocab Infidel-a person who does not believe in religion Goose-stepped- a special form of military step which is usually demonstrated in solemn military parades and passes in review of closed units Subued-hushed: in a softened tone Reprisals-limited and deliberate violation of the laws of war to punish an enemy who has already broken them Defilement-the state of being polluted
Entry 11 Date 4/20/11 Summary pg 141-155 The boys were at school when two soldiers came in to the classroom. They had a list of names that were political unreliables. Ondrej and Vaclav’s names were said. They were sent to the coal mines. In the freezing cold, they carried their tools a mile deep into the earth and worked at the only light of small lamps. Vaclav had rheumatic fever as a child and might not last too long in the cold. Many students had fallen and were shot at the spot. Their mining careers ended six months later. Then they were shipped to the polish border. There they had to dig ditches for artillery. There were no hours they had to work they just had to dig a certain amount of ditches. One day a man fainted in front of Ondrej. He fell face down in a puddle. He was going to drown in the puddle. Ondrej knelt down to help him. A Nazi hit Ondrej on the back of the head with his rifle. Ondrej fell down on top of the man and he felt blood trickle down his neck. His skull was cracked and he still had to get up and work. If he stayed he would have been killed. Then he decided he had to escape and get help for his head. He had noticed a mound of dirt near the ditch. When it got dark he started diging a small grave on the side of the mound. When it was time to return to camp Ondrej laid down in the grave and covered himself with dirt. When everyone was gone he got up and ran to find shelter. Someone had told Ondrej to go to the railroad stations because most of those people were art of the resistance if he ever had to run away from Nazis. He waited with the resistance until he was well enough to go back for his bother. When he got back to the camp everyone was gone. He asked a local farmer what happened. The farmer said everyone that was still alive was shipped out. Ondrej walked and slept in bombed out buildings all the way to Prague. When he walked into his mother’s apartment Vaclav yelled “thank God!” he was afraid of losing his brother. His mother was there too. A few days later she was packing Ondrej’s rucksack. She packed a week’s worth of bread and meat. He had to go back to the resistance. The village that the resistance party was in was invaded. They had an ammunition plant put in. If the Russians got too close the Nazis were going to blow it up. This would have taken out the whole town. A few people of the resistance got in and successfully found the explosives and deactivated them. Then the Resistance entered battle. It was looking bad. One bullet that was fired tore through Ondrej’s thigh. He woke up in the hospital and saw his father right away. Zibigiew: the underground medical school in Poland Hitler was always trying to create more living room for Germans. To complete this goal he dubbed people subhuman. One of these people groups was polish people of all kinds. When the German army came through they were commanded to kill as many civilians as possible. After many raids like this, they decided to just start killing people. The people that were given a break were blue-eyed and blonde-hair. The brown-eyed and brown-haired people were taught only simple arithmetic and to spell one’s name while they lived. There were elementary schools but no high schools or universities. But when it was illegal to teach polish language, history, and customs some teacher created secret schools. The largest one was the one created by Dr. Jan Zaorski. He said he was setting up a school for sanitary workers. The Nazis were very afraid of disease outbreaks and water pollution. He really was setting up a medical school. They even used corpses off the street for dissection. Another school that was opened was the Medical School of Warsaw. One boy who attended this school was Zibigniew Zawadzki (or as I will call him ZZ) Vocab Consul- a diplomat appointed by a government to protect its commercial interests and help its citizens in a foreign country Docile- willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed Placid- equable: not easily irritated Coveted- Highly sought-after Assaulted- Assault is a crime or tort of violence against another person
Entry 12 Date 4/22/11 Summary pg 157- 171 Before dawn ZZ was jolted out of bed by sirens. Across the street the Church burst in flames. German dive bombers plummeted down on schools and government buildings. ZZ and his two friends grabbed clothes and ran toward the university. For no apparent reason they were pushing through the terrified people trying to find safety. Mothers told their children to hold on to her skirt and not let go. Well I guess they did have a reason. It was definitely not a good one. They were going to submit their applications to the Medical School of Warsaw. Nothing was going to stop ZZ. It could have been now or never. He was in a hurry to become a doctor. This concerned nothing because he was convinced of the Polish army was going to beat the Germans. There was many men trying to enlist at the same time. Two days later England and France declared war on Germany. When ZZ turned on the radio he heard that all men are fighting age were to defend the city. They are to pack their belongings and leave at once. It did not make sense but ZZ and his friends were of fighting age so they had to leave. As they got out their rucksacks and started to pack one of the friends stopped and blurted out, ”No! Stop! The government is creating an underground army across enemy lines. If we are caught we are dead. But them again if a bomb hits us we are dead too.” ZZ joined the underground army. (underground here meant that it was secret from most of the world. ) instead of being a medical student he learned how to attack a soldier and make powerful explosives. When there weren’t raids there was drilling. The drilling was hard and repetitive. One morning there was no planes of sirens. Just the chirp of crickets. Then a car drove down the road. The man told everyone that the war was over. The soldiers could do whatever they wanted. They decided to leave and go back to Sosnowiec. There were hundreds of men trying to leave Warsaw. At a road block Germans forced everyone out of the train. They walked by a Nazi but he didn’t look like the stereotypical blue-eyed blonde-haired man. In fact he wore glasses and had stoop shoulders. The three friends looked at each other. They were unsure where they were going. They ducked in to the woods. They got to a different railroad station and got on another train. In a few hours they were in their destination. A new university was opening they were going to enroll there. Thy day before opening day ceremonies ZZ caught the flu. He was heartbroken. Soon after the Germans surrounded the school and forced it to shut down. Then it took all the students and faculty to concentration camps. Now his plan was to join the Sosnowiec detachment. It was an underground army. His job was to help derail trains with German supplies and raiding German arsenals. Vocab Renegade- someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw Bastion-a group that defends a principle Armistice-a state of peace agreed to between opponents so they can discuss peace terms Subterfuge-something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity Atrocities-atrocity - the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
Entry 13 4/25/11 Summary 172-186 ZZsoon had to move out because a freind that he worked with was caught stealing ration cards. The polish soild soon became too dangerous and ZZ had to run away. The hopes of a quick ally victory had vanished. Now ZZ was going to join the Polish army. With some friends he was off to another freight train. He bribed the guide to take them right over the mountains into Hungary. The guides left them in a wooded area. There they asked a man where they were. The man told the boys to follow him. He took them to the police station instead of just town. The police determined that they were polish and arrested them. A guard took them to the railroad station. He took his two friends by the arm and took them on the train. When the guard was on the train ZZ ran out in to the woods. The guard tracked ZZ own and escorted him to the polish border and handed ZZ over to the Germans. Then he put in a cattle car filled with Ukrainians. With a new friend ZZ jumped off that train and an into the mountains. In the snow it was hard for them to find food. They had to risk going into town. In town they played a trick and called both of themselves Ukrainians. The police there said to send them back to the Germans. ZZ knew better than to trust the Germans. The man escorting them was in his fifties. ZZ mentioned that he didn’t look like a Nazi. He was against the Nazis actually but he stayed because the Germans took his son. He helped ZZ and his friend escape. Soon the separated ZZ went south. He got to a town. They looked poor but still took ZZ in. To keep the people of this small town being taken by Germans they had a lookout. Only the Germans had cars. If a car was seen the lookout would get on his bike and ride from house to house to warn people. For a year he worked here. He watched the Germans move toward the Russian border. The German soldiers looked arrogant and sure of themselves. Then ZZ got word of a Medical school. The farmer helped him get food and get to the polish border. He stayed at this school until the Germens found out and shut it down. Somehow he got away again and lived in Warsaw the rest of the war. He stayed alive by not getting out much and staying discrete. People didn’t know he was Polish. Dirk: Kidnapped for forced labor The World War II caused a shortage of labor in Germany. The Men were in the army or government agencies. He prisoners, like Jews, were called cheap labor. As Germany kept invading countries they needed more work. The ones who could work were sent to get worked to death,\. The ones that couldn’t were sent right to gas chambers. Many workers were sent to work in war factories. Even Germans who tried to help by resisting and helping prisoners were sent to work. Even thought there was workers there were also people who were randomly sent to be hanged shot or just pushed off a cliff. When the Germans started to need army work they force recruited people. They took them out of factories of just off the street. -*-*-*-*- Dirk was awoken by planes. He ran outside in his pajamas. The city of Rotterdam was in flames. There was thousands of parachuters hat looked like mushrooms floated over the field. Dirk’s father yelled about Germans not leaving the town alone. The Germans had attacked Holland even though they said they were neutral. As the Germans entered the city they were disliked. Especially as they replaced the Dutch flag with the Swastika flag. Dirk was studying tool and die. He was going to go to America when he finished school. But this stupid war. Vocab Cadaver- the dead body of a human being Retaliatory-retaliation - action taken in return for an injury or offense Vindictive- revengeful: disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge Valiantly-with valor; in a valiant manner Incendiary-involving deliberate burning of property
Entry 14 4/27/11 Summary pg 187- 201 Every morning Dirk’s brothers, peter and bert, and dirk ride their bikes to the tractor repair shop, where they work. When they were done they went home to the garden. The garden was important because meat, eggs, and other foods were rationed. When all that business was done they spent free time playing soccer. Even peter who was nineteen didn’t date. Secretly they listened to the radio that their neighbor kept buried in their garden. On BBC it said that Hitler had invaded Russia. The Hopefulness in a swift victory was gone. Dirk was depressed. One morning on the way to work Dirk stopped to chat with a friend. Peter and Bert biked ahead. When Dirk was finished he went to catch up. He saw his bothers being taken away by Germans. He hid. Then he watched as they dragged them down the docks to a ship. His mother was sad very often. She didn’t sing very often anymore. In July Dirk was taken from the shop where he worked. Nine others were taken too. A neighbor ran to get his mother. She shoved read and cheese into his hands just as the boat took off. When they reached Rotterdam they were led to the railroad station and shoved into wooden box cars. There was one bucket in a corner of the windowless car. Can you guess what it was for. After two days it overflowed. When they got to Berlin Dirk was nauseated by the stench. Then they were loaded in a canvas truck. He felt better as he smelled pine trees. The truck stopped at the Ebenswald labor camp. The camp reeked of hundreds of unwashed men. Dirk knew there must have been a real labor shortage because they drafted so many elderly men. Dirk was put next to a reddish haired man in the barracks. The man awas desperately needing news. Dirk asked when supper was because they hadn’t eaten since yesterday. The man replied, “here there is no such word. “ they were only fed at noon and it was slop. The man also said to sleep clinging to your boots or they will be stolen. Before dawn they were led out of the Barracks. If one man stepped out of line a dog attacked on him. At the factory Dirk was put in front of a work bench and told to work. Then he pointed to blue prints and moved on. At midday a whistle blew. He followed everyone out side. Straight out of the book. A prisoner ladled sup from a black kettle into small bowls. I stared at the few pieces of cabbage and potatoes and the PIECE (singular) of meat floating in the greasy water. The meat had maggots! A kitchen worker stuck a small square or bead in my hand. . . . . . . . I took a spoonful. It smelled as though motor oil had been stirred into the soup. I forced down a spoonful. I spit it out. Then I bit into the small square of bread. Sawdust! I started to retch. (to throw up of gag) one day Dirk felt dizzy. He needed to lie down. If he lied down at the bench he would be beaten to death. He went to get a pass from the factory manger. The manager asked a series of questions. Dirk answered them honestly even though he probably shouldn’t have. Dirk was lucky. The advisor had a dutch wife and understood where the man was coming from. He went back to the barracks and lied down. He was too tired to brush the lice off his body. Just before the loud speaker said that the germans captured another Russian base. In 1943 they were transferred to Fina. A german air base factory. One night Dirk was awakened by terrifying screams. In the morning he saw the Germans carrying out Russian prisoners of war. They were not allowed to talk to these people when they were alive. It was snowing. They started ladling two rotten meals instead of one. Sometimes he could catch a rat r bird. They even made jokes about eating the guard’s German shepherd. Here the best part was seeing a woman every day. Her name was Ludmilla. She dumped out sour milk out the back door. Dirk longed for that milk. The germans wouldn’t drink I but they wouldn’t give it to the prisoners. She looked like a real woman in a camp full of skeletons. The cook allowed her to eat the scraps from the Germans. Many men tried to get friendly with her. She walked past one night when Dirk was coking some peas he was given. He asked her if she wanted some pea soup. She laughed at his imagination. He told her that he wasn’t lying and it was pea soup. Then she talked about how she had a garden before the war. She started to cry right in Dirk’s chest. Ludmilla started to hide the sour milkin a can under the porch. When no one was looking Dirk drank it. They would go out at night to the airfield and talk. One night Russian flares started dropping. Ludmilla stood up. Dirk said to stay because the guards were hiding. Because the bombs were getting closer they would be able to go home free soon. Ludmilla didn’t have a family to go to. Dirk asked her to marry him. She turned him down. They were being marched away a few days later. They managed to dash into the woods. They came across a paved road. In one town a man opened the door as they dashed passed houses. The man took them to a deserted military base. They could stay there for the night. Vocab Tribunal-a court or forum of justice Limmer- scoundrel Persiflage- useless bantering talk Adverse- acting against in a contrary direction Bunglesome- awkward, clumsy Entry 15 4/27/11 Summary pg 202- 220 One night a Russian soldier shook Dirk awake. He asked if Dirk was German he said no. then Ludmilla woke up. The soldier asked, “your Jewish?” Dirk turned to look at ludmilla. “your Jewish?” he repeated. Ludmilla said that she olnly lived because she had false papers. She was really sarah leah Goldberg. Dirk told her that he didn’t care and he wanted t marry her. On the train home they looked at the blown up country. At the dutch border they checked for the SS tattoo. Andre: the slaves that built the rockets The rockets used were only a few feet long and used to carry explosives. The u. s. had the bazooka and the Russians had an artillery rocket that could go for a few miles. In germany the plan was different. Werner Von Braun was creating new rockets. The rockets were 50 feet long. They could carry a warhead of a ton and hit a city a hundred miles away. Until 1943 he rocket wasn’t taken seriously. This was when the war started to go bad for the Germans. Since hitler needed new weapons he went to Werner. After the war wernher was brought to the u. s. to build rockets for the space program. They needed a lot of people to help build these rockets. One of these people was andre Gerard. -*-*-*-*- Andre was in school when the professor stopped the lecture suddenly. The whole class listened as foot steps came down the hallway. They burst into the room and told every to get against the wall. They did a full body search and then told them to get outside. He was part of the resistance. In july when resistance students were arrested he fled to the mountains. In October he thought it was safe to come back. he had grown up in a French rule place. One day on his bike andre fled to Switzerlandto get away from being drafted. The swiss army turned him over to the French police. He asked to be sent to unoccupied france. When he got where he was going he asked a priest where to find escaped classmates. The priest showed him where. The resistance was difficult because he had to go far away and risk being caught. He had to do things like light fuses and then disappear. Now he was a prisoner. He was told to give his papers. He did he gave the only papers he had. The officer told the Gestapo that he was very dangerous and to set him aside. But one day he was sent to a military prison and put in a cell with eight other prisoners. He was whipped until he made a mistake. He had been pretending to not understand German. The man who was translating what Andre said made a mistake and andre corrected him. The men knew who he was all along. He was shipped to a concentration camp. On the way to it they were in a boxcar. They were given back all their belongings that were taken when they were arrested. He had a pocket knife in his notebook. Those with knives started cutting away at the wood. They trued desperately to escape. When their fingers became numb others started to pry away floor boards. They got to the camp and were shown to the spigot and then to another boxcar that was practically airtight. Many people had suffocated to death. They were led to showers but they weren’t sure what was showers anymore. Gas chambers were also showers. After that he was sent to the barber. Now he was no longer human. At night he saw others who looked like walking skeletons. In the morning they had roll call. They had to stand in line. The Germans counted and recounted the people. They were weak from lack of food and freezing because of the rain. The they had to haul rocks. Zat darkness they were driven into the barracks. Then they went to a camp called dora. There were mountains around the camp. The mountains were cris-crossed on the inside with tunnels. It as a labyrinth of sorts. Inside the mountains there many different things. Andre somehow managed to get into the rocket making. He survived the rest f the war there. Vocab Capitulated-capitulate - surrender under agreed conditions Unfathomable-of depth; not capable of being sounded or measured Grotesque-distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous Interminable-having or seeming of having no end Snit- a state of agitation
Breanna -this looks great! I would just ask that you include the date of your entry as well as the page numbers. Thanks! Mrs. W
The Other Victims
Entry one
Summary
Bubili: A Young Gypsy's Fight For Survival.
The Romani were called gypsies because the Europeans mistaked them for Egyptians, beacause of their dark skin. Of all of Hitler's victims, Jews and Gypsies were the only groups to be destroyed completely. Hitler labeled them socially inferior ratially impure, and criminals.Scientists were commanded to measure the skulls of the gypsies to show were inadequate. Tests were created to show that Gypsies' blood was different from normal blood. These tests were wrong. The Gypsy blood was no different from anyone. In the early 1300's the Romani migrated from India. They were different. They had dark skin, they spoke a different language, and they had different customs. They couldn't claim land that was already claimed. Because of this they lived in wagons. Romani were illiterate (except for their own languages) so they could not get jobs. There were only their ancient trades as armor makers, basket weavers, musicians, jewlers, and horse traders. This made them a threat to local craftsmen. Preists feared them because they could "tell the future." They were not welcome in churches. Many countries made laws to keep the Romani out after they were no longer slaves.
Gypsy hunting was a common pastime. They were wanted dead or alive. In some cases if a Romani woman was found their left ear would be cut off. This is where the Nazis got their hatred for the gypsies. Many laws were made to let the nazis do what they did. they passed law to be allowed to sterilize (make a person not able to have kids) the Romani. Mny children were taken from their parents to be tested on with Cyclon-B, or Zyclon-B, gas. In the shortage of people, many male Romani were sent to the German army. eventually they became people open the be taken to concentration camps. Most were gassed instead of experiments. One of the experiments was to see how much salt water a person could drink before dying. _*_*_*_*_*_ Bubili was a gypsy. He went to the movies. When he walked in, "Heil Schuschnigg!" When he walked out, "Heil Hitler!" he asked a man what was going on. the man said that he should go home right away. His father was happy to see him home. he was on his way to visit his uncle when a man stopped his and asked for his papers Bubli said that his papers were at home and he would go get them. the dman threw Bubili in jail. He hadn't known what was going on in Germany. He couldn't read. When the police put him in jail they said he was going to a concentration camp. he didn't know what that was. He knew he had o get out. he stole a knife from a man nd cut his way out of the wooden window frame. He crossed the border into Yugoslavia.
Vocab
Taboo- a prejudice that prohibits the use or mention of something because of sacred nature
Oppression- The act of imposing cruelty
Unfounded- Without a basis in reason or fact
Reparations- compensation for an injjury or insult
Wiry- stringy, lean
entry two date 3-22
summary pg 15-28(unfortunately my book has many different stories so they may get split apart as i go along)
On his way to the border Bubili was caught when his jail mate ran from a police man. The man told Bubili to go back where he came from. Bubili was scared to go home.he went to another part of the Yugoslavian border. He hid in the woods. He was used to living in the woods. he caught rabbits and squrels and roasted them for food. For months Bubili lived in and out of prispn and he was always on the run. Once Yugoslavia got to hot for bubili he went to Hungary. There he met another gypsy who had lost his wife. Bubili took care of ths man's two young children while he worked. Bubili worked as a dancer and a musician for money.One place where he was a dancer was a tavern. the police burst into the tavern one night and arrested all the gypsies. While waiting for a train Bubili ran into a crowd of people, The police were afraid to shoot. He jumped into the Danube River and swam until it was safe to go ashore. he went to a tavern in Czechoslovakia. when the tavern closed he started to walk down a street. He met up with some Gypsy musicians. They knew Bubili's father. Bubili said to them that he wanted to go home. They said it might not be safe because they didn't know if the Germans had invaded Austria or not. Bubili stayed with his new friends. At his friends' camp some of his family was there. is father said that Bubili should live with his mother's broter. He might be more safe there. The next day Bubili hiked to his uncle's house. there he stayed in a shack at the top of a hill. the next morning Germans came and took over the house.Bubili tried to run for it but was caught. they were taken to the police station. When they got to Dauchau they all lined up fces to the sun. they were each given a number as their name. then teir picture was taken. They all got the same size shoes and clothes.whether you were short, tall, skinny, fat, old, adult, or child. As a gypsy, Bubili had to wear a brown triangle to identify him as a gypsy.
Bubili was moved with many others to Buchenwald. Here everything that you did had to be fast. Bubili had an uncle who had one leg wasn’t fast enough for one of the guards. The guard whipped Bubili’s uncle to death. Bubili kept telling himself, “I am Bubili. I will out live those b***. I will one day give testimony.” One winter morning everyone stood in a line for role call. Every seventh man was killed. Bubili, Bubili’s father, and Bubili’s mother’s brother were all safe for now. In 1941 all Austrian gypies were sent to and Austrian concentration camp. Bubili had a good kapo (barrack leader). Bubili was very concerned for his father. His father used to be a strong tall man. He had shrunk to half his size, he was skinny, and bearded.
Soon later Bubili’s father and one of his uncles were sent supposedly to a different camp. They were gassed on the truck. Bubili wouldn’t eat. His kapo made him eat though. Bubili ended up getting a job as a cook. In six years Bubili was at a total of ten camps. One of the camps was called stairway to heaven. It was a set of rock stairs with no sides. You went to the top with a rock and threw it of the top step. If you slipped you were likely to die. Especially if you were on the side. At another camp Bubili found children. They were going to be sent to death. There were also elderly people who were likely to die within the next week. Bubili got the numbers of the children switched with the numbers of the elderly people. The children were saved for that much longer. After that Bubili felt like the Nazis because he had chosen who had lived and who had died.
Pink triangle: The Nazi war against homosexuals.
Throughout history homosexuals have been ridiculed. They have been put down and made fun of for being different. Ancient and modern societies have hurt homosexuals alike. More than one hundred years ago Kaiser Wilhelm’s government passed Paragraph 175 of the Prussian Penal Code. When this was passed being a homosexual was a crime. This still existed when Nazis came to power. Hitler was so against gays that when his second in command (Ernst Roehm) wanted to take over the army he called him a homosexual. Even after Roehm was trialed and found not gay, he was still disrespected for the accusation. Hitler asked town officials to get him lists of known gays. The author of may book couldn’t find a homosexual willing to talk about his or her stories because of how the were hurt.
Vocab
Inequity- unfairness; injustice by virtue
Contempt- lack of respect with a feeling of strong dislike
Shunned- deliberately avoiding association with
Regime- a set of conditions (usually politically)
Castration- neutering a male animal
Entry #3 pg 29-42
4/3/11
Summary
Pastor Christian Reger: Barracks 26
Hitler wanted not only to conquer the, but to also create a new religion. The new religion was based on the loyalty to Nazi ideals. These ideals were the purity of German blood and the willingness to die for Hitler. The cross was going to be replaced with the swastika. there was going to be a new testament. And the holy scripture was going to be Hitler’s own Mein Kampf. Old German gods were going to be worshipped again. There was a problem with the plan to take over to churches. The people weren’t going to let the churches get taken over. Hitler had to get mind control. He was going to get all the people against one enemy. The easiest target was the Jews. There was a long history of Jew- hatred in German churches. Jews who didn’t convert were considered unworthy human beings. Most Christian pastors were willing to go along with the Nazis. They didn’t know that Hitler as going to destroy Christianity nest. Hitler even told the pope straight out that Christianity was going to be safe. The catholic youth league was destroyed too. The children had to go to a Nazi youth group. Many Germans protested. The pope’s only public protest was something called “With Burning Sorrow.” Even with the objection the pope didn’t mention the persecution of Jews. By 1938 Hitler had abolished all catholic news papers. That same year one man named Cardinal Faulhaber spoke out against the Nazis. Afterward Hitler tried to burn down his house. Most German catholic priests stayed quiet. The people who stayed with their churches was just as many who went against. The most just stood in the middle and didn’t know what to do. Anyone who helped Jews or didn’t convert were sent to concentration camps. The priests and pastors were sent to Dachau. -*-*-*-* on his first sermon pastor Christian Reger wore his brown shirt uniform. This showed that he was part of the new nationalist spirit. Christian’s wife and the people that watched his sermon were very excited. He didn’t like Hitler’s raving but he did like how much hope that he gave to the hungry people. Hitler wasn’t chancellor yet but he promised Germany prosperity and power. One day when Christian and his wife, Mina, were walking in the woods they saw a man baptize his new born son on a swastika. Since that was the pastor’s duty Mina and Christian were shocked. Mina packed away Christian’s uniform. The next Sunday, Christian preached about the sacredness of baptism. The next night protestors threatened Christian and his wife in their own house. They decided to stay and fight instead of leaving. It was difficult with the constant pressure of the Nazis to convert. His church grew smaller and smaller. He was captured but soon let go. He kept protesting with every German outburst. He kept getting arrested for protesting. In 1940 he was arrested for a third time. He was in the cell for weeks wondering if he would ever see mina again. Many different types of prisoners were handcuffed together and forced to railroad station. He was treated worse that the dogs were in the concentration camps. He was given a red triangle for political prisoner. He was sent to barracks 26. Everyone in the barracks wanted to know news of the outside world. In the barracks here was a little “chapel” in the corner. They had a sermon every Sunday. One day one of the prisoners was sick. They were sent to the “infirmary.” They were actually were going to be gassed and burned. Christian didn’t know that. He went to the doctor to find out what happened and he was almost gassed himself.
Vocab
Rites- an established, ceremonial act (usually religious)
Bludgeoned-to hit with heavy impact, to overcome with aggressive argument
Solace- a source of relief or consolation of grief
Reverberated- to become driven back, to be reflected
Concordat-an agreement between the pope and a sovern or government
Entry #4 4/3/11
Summary pg 43-56
In the barracks many new prisoners kept arriving. Even with the ever increasing death toll, the barracks was crowded. One new inmate came with news of what they were doing with the inmates being experimented on. He said they were being infected with malaria. This inmate died soon after. They had a service for him. The service was interrupted. They never finished the service. Many of his closest friends were going to die if they hadn’t already. One man was going to become a priest before he was imprisoned. There was a big service for him. People made clothes from scraps of clothing to be nicer for the service. April 2, 1945 some of the prisoners were released. One of these prisoners was named Pastor Christian Reger.
Elizabeth’s family: Twelve Jehovah’s witnesses faithful unto death.
Jehovah’s witnesses were of German descent and most had blonde hair and blue eyes. They were even Christians. They were still an inferior race. They refused to serve on the army. The Nazis called them traitors. They even refused to salute the Nazi flag. Nazis deemed them dangerous. They were banned from holding meetings. At first the welfare of children was a concern but that went away soon. They had to wear purple arm bands out in public.-*-*-*-* Annemarie shouted for Elizabeth to hide he pamphlets and books because a Gestapo was coming. Elizabeth took the books and Magdalena took the pamphlets. They hid them in the bushes in the backyard. Their father always taught his eleven children what it meant to be a Jehovah’s witness. He had sensed something bad was going to happen. The Nazis were always trying to get them to renounce their faith. One Gestapo even came to their house and told them they had to sign a promise not to be Jehovah’s witnesses. Their father refused to sign and was then called a fool. When their mother didn’t sign either their children were out of parents. Mother was released soon after even though she still refused to sign. Then they started life just as normal but without father. Their father was released a year later. A few months later their oldest brother and son was killed in an accident. The family was without hope afterward. In school Elizabeth and her two younger brothers refused to “Heil Hitler.” They got sent to reform schools. Elizabeth escaped after about a year. Her younger brothers were home safe but her oldest brothers left were sent to the army and their parents were in concentration camps. While she had gone one of her brothers had been shot for refusing to go to the army. Somehow their mother convinced the authorities to allow their father out for the funeral. Another brother had been beheaded for not joining the army.
Vocab
Ordained- appointed, fixed or established
Professed- to practice teachings or claims; to be knowledgeable about
Subversive- a rational supporter of political revolution
Incarceration- captivity, the state of being imprisoned
Renounce- give up duties and obligations
entry #5
4/6/11summary pg 57- 70
Elizabeth’s family that was home brought her to the garden to see the letters that her family had sent. She read them aloud. All these letters were very heart breaking for her. Every day they went to the post office and the railroad station. they always hoped there would be something new for them to enjoy, a letter or a family member that they missed. one night really late a brother had come home. he was sent into the army instead of a concentration camp. Another afternoon, the father came home hidden in a sheep trailer. he had a broken leg. The next to come home was a brother who was supported by a nurse. He had tuberculosis and was to die no matter what. A sister came home next. then another sister and the mother. The whole family was back together
Franziska: a silent protest against sterilization
Hitler didn’t start the master race idea. He did put these theories into practice. German Scientists were very eager to do “tests.” They wanted to alter genes to make them perfect. First they had to identify “inferior” people. When the Jews lost jobs, the hereditarily blind, deaf, physically or mentally handicapped, or alcoholics were to be sterilized. To be sterilized is to be “fixed” on a human. This today is illegal. Even teachers turned in deaf students. With the war outbreak, the Nazis decided that this was an unjust way of getting rid of people. They ended up just “mercy killing” them. There was a lot of conflict. The final decision was that there would be extermination centers. The ones not able to work were sent to gas chambers. Franziska (fanny) Schwartz was one deaf person. *-*-*-*- she knew a lot of deaf people and didn’t see anything wrong with it. In school the teachers got mad if she signed. She didn’t like to talk she didn’t know how. When Hitler took over Germany, her brother came home after a rally all excited because he had shaken hands with Hitler. Fanny’s uncle got mad because he didn’t like Hitler. Fanny couldn’t hear the radio so she never got excited about Hitler. Then a letter came that said that she had to be sterilized because she was deaf. Every one was stunned and terrified. They testified. During the hearing her uncle said some bad things about Hitler. He was almost sent to jail. They were denied Fanny not getting sterilized. She started to cry. She had met a partially deaf boy the year before. They would sign for hours. His name was Christian Mikus. They always wished to have children themselves. She was afraid that Christian wouldn’t like her any more if she was sterilized. After they left the courtroom her father said they would run away to Switzerland. Then before they could run off her uncle was arrested for spreading slander. Somehow his brothers got him released. Fanny still had to be sterilized. She was forced to the hospital and screamed the whole way. She was thrown in a room with two other deaf teenagers. The next morning the nurse came in with tranquilizers.
Vocab
Tribunal- court: an assembly
Blasphemy- profanation: blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
Inkling- slight suggestion or vague understanding
Liberals- a free market liberal party in Finland
Commended- commend - express approval of
Breanna-Entry #6 was due Friday, April 8--this is a late assignment. Mrs. W 4/10
Entry #6Date 4/10/11
Summary pg 71- 84
She woke up in a room full of beds. Her stomach hurt. She had so much pain she couldn’t go to work. She asked for sick pay but the man in the office denied her request because she could do whatever she wanted and it wouldn’t matter. When Christian came her house she started to cry and thought that he didn’t want to be her boyfriend any more. Christian said that when Fanny was 21 they would get married. In 1938 she missed her period. Christian got excited and said they could now get married. When her mother returned a few months later from helping a sick relative, she saw Fanny’s swollen stomach. She made Fanny see a gynecologist. The doctor had the baby taken away and Fanny was sterilized again. Christian got worried but no one would talk to him. He finally found out and went to the hospital. He was stunned when he saw Fanny. He said that they were going to get married. She was denied a marriage license because Fanny was to be sterilized. After this Fanny’s uncle was arrested again for speaking out. Fanny was sterilized again and Christian and Fanny got married. They found an apartment and lived out the rest of the war.
Regina: divorce or Die
As the twentieth century came there became more and more Christian and Jewish people mixed in families. In 1935 a law was passed to forbid Christian Jewish marriages. People who refused were sent to concentration camps. Mischilge was the word for Jews who were raised as Christians. One girl named Regina was a Jew who managed to stay married to her Christian husband. *-*-*-*- Regina met her husband, Karl, when she was 16. He came to Berlin to sub for a local doctor. They had a big wedding. After, they set up their own house keeping business. Their happiness was broken when restaurants put up a signs that said Jews and dogs prohibited. In March, Jewish doctors were no longer allowed in hospitals. Karl knew they had to leave. He knew it would only get worse. April the Nazis created boycotts against Jewish owned stores. In May there was burning of books by Jewish authors. That night Regina sent her cousins letters for consent letters to go to America. Christian doctors were not allowed to leave the country. They had a divorce just to get Regina out of the country. The only question asked was if Regina was Jewish. They got consent but they still needed visas. They got to the American embassy Regina wasn’t allowed a visa because he was divorced. Even though they would remarry that wasn’t enough. They finally argued that she had a bank account with 2000 dollars in it and she had family there. They got the visa for Regina.
Vocab
Registrar-An official responsible for keeping a register or official records
Berated-Scold or criticize (someone) angrily
Ruse-An action intended to deceive someone; a trick
Motorcade-A procession of motor vehicles, typically carrying and escorting a prominent person
Assimilation-the state of being assimilated; people of different backgrounds come to see themselves as part of a larger national family
Entry # 7
Date 4/10/11
Summary pg 85- 98
Karl and Regina planned to meet in France. When Regina got to France she had trouble getting the telegram needed to tell Karl what ship to meet on. If he got on the wrong ship and got to new York without a visa he wouldn’t get let in. the next morning Karl went looking for what ship to board. He couldn’t get one of the ship’s passenger list. As he was trying to get the list the ship had to take way. He quickly got a ticket and hoped that he could find Regina. Miraculously he was on the right ship. In new York Karl’s visa wasn’t accepted. The official told Karl to go home. Karl’s face turned gray. Regina’s cousin came aboard the ship to support them. An hour later the congressman’s assistant came aboard and said he had checked with the State Department and the visa was valid.
No Blacks Allowed
The presence of darker skinned people was resented by Germans. Germans weren’t allowed to marry blacks. All blacks were called bad words that I do not feel fit to say in a summary for school. Hitler promised to eliminate these people. Hitler’s hatred spread through all people who had anything to do with blacks except for hating them. Historians are just beginning to examine the files on blacks. Most of the files are still in German.
Wolfgang: flight from censorship
Hitler tried to achieve mind control with media arts and education. He tried to get a new generation of obedient, strong young men who were eager to fight for him. Girls were eager to have boys who would fight in the army. All sorts of laws were made to restrict media.pictures were made to make Germans look great and Jews look bad.
Vocab
Pseudonym-A fictitious name, esp. one used by an author
Illegitimate-Not authorized by the law; not in accordance with accepted standards or rules
Commission-Give an order for or authorize the production of (something such as a building, piece of equipment, or work of art).
Indoctrinate-Teach (a person or group) to accept a set of beliefs uncritically
unscrupulous-Having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair
ONE TIP MRS. W WHEN I LOST MY WORK FROM THE SAVING ISSUES ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TRY AND RE-EDIT THE ENTRIES. IT BRINGS UP A RECOVERED DRAFT SIGN, CLICK THE BUTTON THAT SAYS TO EDIT THE RECOVERED DRAFT. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME YOU DON'T SAVE SOMETHING.
Entry #8 4/13/11Summary pg 99-112
Hitler got all impressionist art taken out of German museums. This was including all Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse, and Van Gogh. Many types of art were banned and confiscated. As an attempt to prove worthless of his art, he made an exhibition of “degenerate” art. It was kind of showing what not to make. But many art lovers decided to come to the exhibition to see the art. Goebbles cancelled it soon after. Right away when people heard of Hitler being chancellor they left. This included Jews and artists. Even though fifty thousand left some people stayed to protest .Many artists hid their talents for a while until the war ended. This was the lost generation of art. This halted artistic development. Wolfgang Behl was one of those who escaped. He escaped to America. -*-*-*-*-*- There were classmates in Wolfgang’s class that were passing out letters. The letters talked rudely about the Jews and how to identify them and what to do about them. Wolfgang himself was not a Jew. But he was studying to be an artist. That was the only offense that he made. He was neighbors and friends with Jews. Seeing these letters appalled him. The people who signed them and were handing them out were very big fans of Hitler. They were always strutting their brown uniforms. Wolfgang became very angry. The Jewish people in the class were the best. Wolfgang stood up for the Jewish people. The boy he yelled at called him “not a real German. “ Wolfgang punched him in the nose. At home Wolfgang was praised for standing up for what he believes in. But then again he did speak out against Hitler. His father did tell Wolfgang that it wasn’t right to do that. Since the boy was part of the Hitler youth group he would have told. Wolfgang was on a train to Berlin in the morning. He stayed with friends of his parents. After a few months a letter came that Wolfgang could go home. When he went home Wolfgang couldn’t attend his old school. His dad enrolled him in the Academy of Fine Arts. He was not registered though. This made it sure that he didn’t have to join the group that made Hitler’s art. While other students were celebrating Hitler he went sailing on Lake Wannsee. One morning Wolfgang woke up and went outside. What had happened the night before stunned him. There was broken glass everywhere and many stores had been broken into and stripped of merchandise. He tried to ask a man what had happened. The man shook his head and walked away. Then Wolfgang got a news paper and read the headlines. Wolfgang ran home to call all of his Jewish friends. He wanted everyone to stay in his parents’ apartment. One day he got a letter to go to the doctor’s and get a physical examination. This meant he was going into the army because he was strong and muscular. He went to the doctor and the doctor said that Wolfgang had a heart problem. Wolfgang was thrilled. He ran out of the office. But then he realized that he shouldn’t over exert himself. He went home to his family and told his tale. His mom took him to the family doctor to get him checked out. HE WAS PERFECTLY HEALTHY! His father again got him on a train out of town so he wouldn’t get examined again. Wolfgang was shipped to America. There he met an artist and was given a job and a place to live.
Vocab
Excursions- a journey taken for pleasure
Enlivened- made sprightly or cheerful
Ominous- threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
Affidavit- A signed document wherein an affiant makes a sworn statement
Lapse- drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
Entry 9 4/15/11
Summary 113- 126
Grete Hamacher’s father was known for his hate for Nazis. *-*-*-*-*-Grete’s father was not sleeping at home. He was sleeping at a house to stay up late with other social democrats. He also slept there so if they got caught his family wasn’t taken a way to. If his family was questioned they would not know where he was and they could not be punished for being part of it. But most of all the innkeeper of the apartment was threatening to tell the Nazis about his father’s activities. The Nazis were chasing his father to send him to “jail” for being politically unreliable. The green police had torn into their house and gone through everything. They even checked first grade homework. When terror wasn’t rushing through the house, Grete’s mom sewed old clothes into new ones and Grete read on rainy days or pulled weeds in the garden on sunny ones. One day when visiting the local sports club Grete’s uncle came with some shocking news. Grete’s father was taken that night. A day of boating was put aside when a sudden shock of panic ran through Grete and his mother’s veins. He was sent to a concentration camp. Since he was wounded in WWI he was going to be released soon. That was the first word of him that they had in months. When he was to be picked up Grete’s mom told her son to wait at the streetcar stop as she went to get her husband. When they came back mother got off the streetcar but where was his father. The only other person that came off was a skinny, old looking man with a beard. The plan was that Grete’s father would go back to work at the factory. there were a lot of jobs now that Hitler wanted to build trucks and tanks. The problem was that because he went to a concentration camp he was “not fit for hiring. ” he wouldn’t join the Nazi party even though that was the only logical choice. He still resisted. He again join the party against it. The were just making ends meet. Grete’s mom did sewing and laundry for other people. They planted most of their food. Family members would bring money or food to help. Another day father had just gotten home from “visiting” friends. The Gestapo caught him and dragged him down the steps to the street. Grete’s mother kept searching for him trying to find out what concentration camp he was at. He came home once again. Every night they were ready to run. They had knapsacks filled with food and water and they wore their clothing at night. Grete stood by as many towns were leveled. He was ready to hear certain alarms that meant that they were in trouble. Grete got a job at a car company. He used long hours to get out of going to the German club. Grete’s father was taken again. He was taken for questioning. Kept there until September he returned bruised and beaten. Soon after the American soldiers came to rescue people from the Nazis. White sheets were hung in windows to welcome the soldiers.
Vocab
Plot (of ground)- a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation
Elated-exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
Instigated-instigate - incite: provoke or stir up
Euthanasia- mercy killing
Acrid -pungent: strong and sharp
Entry 10
Date 4/18/11
Summary pg 127- 140
Hitler’s master plan was very farfetched. Even though, he showed his strength by attempting to achieve his goal. What helped Hitler was that people did nothing for others. They just sat back and listened and watched. They just hoped that they weren’t next. The only problem was that people fleeing the countries caused problems. There was a small nation formed to help. This small nation was called Czechoslovakia. One boy called Ondrej Laska was from Czechoslovakia. Ondrej and his brother was awakened at 5 am. They were still in their pajamas as the police told them that they were going for a routine check at the railroad station. The whole family could come with. The biggest problem was that the two twin boys were American soldier they hadn’t done anything wrong either. Being part American got them in a lot of fights. They sounded and spoke differently. One day Ondrej got in a fight. When he came home he had a black eye. He told his parents that it was nothing because the guy hat hit him had two black eyes. They were always taught to defend themselves. They were grown up to be strong and well built. The bullies soon understood that. Then their father was stationed in Algiers, North Africa. At that school on the first day an Arab student lunged at Ondrej with a knife. He put up fists but didn’t use them Vaclav tripped the boy and they ran home. He came in the door with a question but didn’t care that much about his arm that had been cut. That night his father taught the two how to disarm an opponent. They soon returned to Prague. And then they were on their way back to America. And now it’s back to the beginning. Waiting at 5 am in the morning to find out what will happen to their family. They dressed quickly and went with the men. Their mother wouldn’t let go. She held on like tiger. She was not about to lose her sons. They were rushed to the man in charge of the operation. He stuck the in a cell and told them to wait. They asked why they were going to be held here. For slave labor is what the man answered. They didn’t get it slaves had been used in roman times. Then at the cell they were given stew for breakfast. Then and there they made a pact to eat everything that they were given to stay alive. Their mother got them released. They still really missed their father. Ondrej met this man one day who was hiding Jews in a small homemade room. Sometimes he brought better food or he brought lemonade. Then the people were planning some but Ondrej didn’t know what though. It was raining and they couldn’t afford a coat for him. Ondrej lent him his. There was an explosion that night. A man was seen fleeing from the scene. The coat was left behind.
Vocab
Infidel-a person who does not believe in religion
Goose-stepped- a special form of military step which is usually demonstrated in solemn military parades and passes in review of closed units
Subued-hushed: in a softened tone
Reprisals-limited and deliberate violation of the laws of war to punish an enemy who has already broken them
Defilement-the state of being polluted
Entry 11
Date 4/20/11
Summary pg 141-155
The boys were at school when two soldiers came in to the classroom. They had a list of names that were political unreliables. Ondrej and Vaclav’s names were said. They were sent to the coal mines. In the freezing cold, they carried their tools a mile deep into the earth and worked at the only light of small lamps. Vaclav had rheumatic fever as a child and might not last too long in the cold. Many students had fallen and were shot at the spot. Their mining careers ended six months later. Then they were shipped to the polish border. There they had to dig ditches for artillery. There were no hours they had to work they just had to dig a certain amount of ditches. One day a man fainted in front of Ondrej. He fell face down in a puddle. He was going to drown in the puddle. Ondrej knelt down to help him. A Nazi hit Ondrej on the back of the head with his rifle. Ondrej fell down on top of the man and he felt blood trickle down his neck. His skull was cracked and he still had to get up and work. If he stayed he would have been killed. Then he decided he had to escape and get help for his head. He had noticed a mound of dirt near the ditch. When it got dark he started diging a small grave on the side of the mound. When it was time to return to camp Ondrej laid down in the grave and covered himself with dirt. When everyone was gone he got up and ran to find shelter. Someone had told Ondrej to go to the railroad stations because most of those people were art of the resistance if he ever had to run away from Nazis. He waited with the resistance until he was well enough to go back for his bother. When he got back to the camp everyone was gone. He asked a local farmer what happened. The farmer said everyone that was still alive was shipped out. Ondrej walked and slept in bombed out buildings all the way to Prague. When he walked into his mother’s apartment Vaclav yelled “thank God!” he was afraid of losing his brother. His mother was there too. A few days later she was packing Ondrej’s rucksack. She packed a week’s worth of bread and meat. He had to go back to the resistance. The village that the resistance party was in was invaded. They had an ammunition plant put in. If the Russians got too close the Nazis were going to blow it up. This would have taken out the whole town. A few people of the resistance got in and successfully found the explosives and deactivated them. Then the Resistance entered battle. It was looking bad. One bullet that was fired tore through Ondrej’s thigh. He woke up in the hospital and saw his father right away.
Zibigiew: the underground medical school in Poland
Hitler was always trying to create more living room for Germans. To complete this goal he dubbed people subhuman. One of these people groups was polish people of all kinds. When the German army came through they were commanded to kill as many civilians as possible. After many raids like this, they decided to just start killing people. The people that were given a break were blue-eyed and blonde-hair. The brown-eyed and brown-haired people were taught only simple arithmetic and to spell one’s name while they lived. There were elementary schools but no high schools or universities. But when it was illegal to teach polish language, history, and customs some teacher created secret schools. The largest one was the one created by Dr. Jan Zaorski. He said he was setting up a school for sanitary workers. The Nazis were very afraid of disease outbreaks and water pollution. He really was setting up a medical school. They even used corpses off the street for dissection. Another school that was opened was the Medical School of Warsaw. One boy who attended this school was Zibigniew Zawadzki (or as I will call him ZZ)
Vocab
Consul- a diplomat appointed by a government to protect its commercial interests and help its citizens in a foreign country
Docile- willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
Placid- equable: not easily irritated
Coveted- Highly sought-after
Assaulted- Assault is a crime or tort of violence against another person
Entry 12
Date 4/22/11
Summary pg 157- 171
Before dawn ZZ was jolted out of bed by sirens. Across the street the Church burst in flames. German dive bombers plummeted down on schools and government buildings. ZZ and his two friends grabbed clothes and ran toward the university. For no apparent reason they were pushing through the terrified people trying to find safety. Mothers told their children to hold on to her skirt and not let go. Well I guess they did have a reason. It was definitely not a good one. They were going to submit their applications to the Medical School of Warsaw. Nothing was going to stop ZZ. It could have been now or never. He was in a hurry to become a doctor. This concerned nothing because he was convinced of the Polish army was going to beat the Germans. There was many men trying to enlist at the same time. Two days later England and France declared war on Germany. When ZZ turned on the radio he heard that all men are fighting age were to defend the city. They are to pack their belongings and leave at once. It did not make sense but ZZ and his friends were of fighting age so they had to leave. As they got out their rucksacks and started to pack one of the friends stopped and blurted out, ”No! Stop! The government is creating an underground army across enemy lines. If we are caught we are dead. But them again if a bomb hits us we are dead too.” ZZ joined the underground army. (underground here meant that it was secret from most of the world. ) instead of being a medical student he learned how to attack a soldier and make powerful explosives. When there weren’t raids there was drilling. The drilling was hard and repetitive. One morning there was no planes of sirens. Just the chirp of crickets. Then a car drove down the road. The man told everyone that the war was over. The soldiers could do whatever they wanted. They decided to leave and go back to Sosnowiec. There were hundreds of men trying to leave Warsaw. At a road block Germans forced everyone out of the train. They walked by a Nazi but he didn’t look like the stereotypical blue-eyed blonde-haired man. In fact he wore glasses and had stoop shoulders. The three friends looked at each other. They were unsure where they were going. They ducked in to the woods. They got to a different railroad station and got on another train. In a few hours they were in their destination. A new university was opening they were going to enroll there. Thy day before opening day ceremonies ZZ caught the flu. He was heartbroken. Soon after the Germans surrounded the school and forced it to shut down. Then it took all the students and faculty to concentration camps. Now his plan was to join the Sosnowiec detachment. It was an underground army. His job was to help derail trains with German supplies and raiding German arsenals.
Vocab
Renegade- someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw
Bastion-a group that defends a principle
Armistice-a state of peace agreed to between opponents so they can discuss peace terms
Subterfuge-something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
Atrocities-atrocity - the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
Entry 13
4/25/11
Summary 172-186
ZZsoon had to move out because a freind that he worked with was caught stealing ration cards. The polish soild soon became too dangerous and ZZ had to run away. The hopes of a quick ally victory had vanished. Now ZZ was going to join the Polish army. With some friends he was off to another freight train. He bribed the guide to take them right over the mountains into Hungary. The guides left them in a wooded area. There they asked a man where they were. The man told the boys to follow him. He took them to the police station instead of just town. The police determined that they were polish and arrested them. A guard took them to the railroad station. He took his two friends by the arm and took them on the train. When the guard was on the train ZZ ran out in to the woods. The guard tracked ZZ own and escorted him to the polish border and handed ZZ over to the Germans. Then he put in a cattle car filled with Ukrainians. With a new friend ZZ jumped off that train and an into the mountains. In the snow it was hard for them to find food. They had to risk going into town. In town they played a trick and called both of themselves Ukrainians. The police there said to send them back to the Germans. ZZ knew better than to trust the Germans. The man escorting them was in his fifties. ZZ mentioned that he didn’t look like a Nazi. He was against the Nazis actually but he stayed because the Germans took his son. He helped ZZ and his friend escape. Soon the separated ZZ went south. He got to a town. They looked poor but still took ZZ in. To keep the people of this small town being taken by Germans they had a lookout. Only the Germans had cars. If a car was seen the lookout would get on his bike and ride from house to house to warn people. For a year he worked here. He watched the Germans move toward the Russian border. The German soldiers looked arrogant and sure of themselves. Then ZZ got word of a Medical school. The farmer helped him get food and get to the polish border. He stayed at this school until the Germens found out and shut it down. Somehow he got away again and lived in Warsaw the rest of the war. He stayed alive by not getting out much and staying discrete. People didn’t know he was Polish.
Dirk: Kidnapped for forced labor
The World War II caused a shortage of labor in Germany. The Men were in the army or government agencies. He prisoners, like Jews, were called cheap labor. As Germany kept invading countries they needed more work. The ones who could work were sent to get worked to death,\. The ones that couldn’t were sent right to gas chambers. Many workers were sent to work in war factories. Even Germans who tried to help by resisting and helping prisoners were sent to work. Even thought there was workers there were also people who were randomly sent to be hanged shot or just pushed off a cliff. When the Germans started to need army work they force recruited people. They took them out of factories of just off the street. -*-*-*-*- Dirk was awoken by planes. He ran outside in his pajamas. The city of Rotterdam was in flames. There was thousands of parachuters hat looked like mushrooms floated over the field. Dirk’s father yelled about Germans not leaving the town alone. The Germans had attacked Holland even though they said they were neutral. As the Germans entered the city they were disliked. Especially as they replaced the Dutch flag with the Swastika flag. Dirk was studying tool and die. He was going to go to America when he finished school. But this stupid war.
Vocab
Cadaver- the dead body of a human being
Retaliatory-retaliation - action taken in return for an injury or offense
Vindictive- revengeful: disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
Valiantly-with valor; in a valiant manner
Incendiary-involving deliberate burning of property
Entry 14
4/27/11
Summary pg 187- 201
Every morning Dirk’s brothers, peter and bert, and dirk ride their bikes to the tractor repair shop, where they work. When they were done they went home to the garden. The garden was important because meat, eggs, and other foods were rationed. When all that business was done they spent free time playing soccer. Even peter who was nineteen didn’t date. Secretly they listened to the radio that their neighbor kept buried in their garden. On BBC it said that Hitler had invaded Russia. The Hopefulness in a swift victory was gone. Dirk was depressed. One morning on the way to work Dirk stopped to chat with a friend. Peter and Bert biked ahead. When Dirk was finished he went to catch up. He saw his bothers being taken away by Germans. He hid. Then he watched as they dragged them down the docks to a ship. His mother was sad very often. She didn’t sing very often anymore. In July Dirk was taken from the shop where he worked. Nine others were taken too. A neighbor ran to get his mother. She shoved read and cheese into his hands just as the boat took off. When they reached Rotterdam they were led to the railroad station and shoved into wooden box cars. There was one bucket in a corner of the windowless car. Can you guess what it was for. After two days it overflowed. When they got to Berlin Dirk was nauseated by the stench. Then they were loaded in a canvas truck. He felt better as he smelled pine trees. The truck stopped at the Ebenswald labor camp. The camp reeked of hundreds of unwashed men. Dirk knew there must have been a real labor shortage because they drafted so many elderly men. Dirk was put next to a reddish haired man in the barracks. The man awas desperately needing news. Dirk asked when supper was because they hadn’t eaten since yesterday. The man replied, “here there is no such word. “ they were only fed at noon and it was slop. The man also said to sleep clinging to your boots or they will be stolen. Before dawn they were led out of the Barracks. If one man stepped out of line a dog attacked on him. At the factory Dirk was put in front of a work bench and told to work. Then he pointed to blue prints and moved on. At midday a whistle blew. He followed everyone out side. Straight out of the book. A prisoner ladled sup from a black kettle into small bowls. I stared at the few pieces of cabbage and potatoes and the PIECE (singular) of meat floating in the greasy water. The meat had maggots! A kitchen worker stuck a small square or bead in my hand. . . . . . . . I took a spoonful. It smelled as though motor oil had been stirred into the soup. I forced down a spoonful. I spit it out. Then I bit into the small square of bread. Sawdust! I started to retch. (to throw up of gag) one day Dirk felt dizzy. He needed to lie down. If he lied down at the bench he would be beaten to death. He went to get a pass from the factory manger. The manager asked a series of questions. Dirk answered them honestly even though he probably shouldn’t have. Dirk was lucky. The advisor had a dutch wife and understood where the man was coming from. He went back to the barracks and lied down. He was too tired to brush the lice off his body. Just before the loud speaker said that the germans captured another Russian base. In 1943 they were transferred to Fina. A german air base factory. One night Dirk was awakened by terrifying screams. In the morning he saw the Germans carrying out Russian prisoners of war. They were not allowed to talk to these people when they were alive. It was snowing. They started ladling two rotten meals instead of one. Sometimes he could catch a rat r bird. They even made jokes about eating the guard’s German shepherd. Here the best part was seeing a woman every day. Her name was Ludmilla. She dumped out sour milk out the back door. Dirk longed for that milk. The germans wouldn’t drink I but they wouldn’t give it to the prisoners. She looked like a real woman in a camp full of skeletons. The cook allowed her to eat the scraps from the Germans. Many men tried to get friendly with her. She walked past one night when Dirk was coking some peas he was given. He asked her if she wanted some pea soup. She laughed at his imagination. He told her that he wasn’t lying and it was pea soup. Then she talked about how she had a garden before the war. She started to cry right in Dirk’s chest. Ludmilla started to hide the sour milkin a can under the porch. When no one was looking Dirk drank it. They would go out at night to the airfield and talk. One night Russian flares started dropping. Ludmilla stood up. Dirk said to stay because the guards were hiding. Because the bombs were getting closer they would be able to go home free soon. Ludmilla didn’t have a family to go to. Dirk asked her to marry him. She turned him down. They were being marched away a few days later. They managed to dash into the woods. They came across a paved road. In one town a man opened the door as they dashed passed houses. The man took them to a deserted military base. They could stay there for the night.
Vocab
Tribunal-a court or forum of justice
Limmer- scoundrel
Persiflage- useless bantering talk
Adverse- acting against in a contrary direction
Bunglesome- awkward, clumsy
Entry 15
4/27/11
Summary pg 202- 220
One night a Russian soldier shook Dirk awake. He asked if Dirk was German he said no. then Ludmilla woke up. The soldier asked, “your Jewish?” Dirk turned to look at ludmilla. “your Jewish?” he repeated. Ludmilla said that she olnly lived because she had false papers. She was really sarah leah Goldberg. Dirk told her that he didn’t care and he wanted t marry her. On the train home they looked at the blown up country. At the dutch border they checked for the SS tattoo.
Andre: the slaves that built the rockets
The rockets used were only a few feet long and used to carry explosives. The u. s. had the bazooka and the Russians had an artillery rocket that could go for a few miles. In germany the plan was different. Werner Von Braun was creating new rockets. The rockets were 50 feet long. They could carry a warhead of a ton and hit a city a hundred miles away. Until 1943 he rocket wasn’t taken seriously. This was when the war started to go bad for the Germans. Since hitler needed new weapons he went to Werner. After the war wernher was brought to the u. s. to build rockets for the space program. They needed a lot of people to help build these rockets. One of these people was andre Gerard. -*-*-*-*- Andre was in school when the professor stopped the lecture suddenly. The whole class listened as foot steps came down the hallway. They burst into the room and told every to get against the wall. They did a full body search and then told them to get outside. He was part of the resistance. In july when resistance students were arrested he fled to the mountains. In October he thought it was safe to come back. he had grown up in a French rule place. One day on his bike andre fled to Switzerlandto get away from being drafted. The swiss army turned him over to the French police. He asked to be sent to unoccupied france. When he got where he was going he asked a priest where to find escaped classmates. The priest showed him where. The resistance was difficult because he had to go far away and risk being caught. He had to do things like light fuses and then disappear. Now he was a prisoner. He was told to give his papers. He did he gave the only papers he had. The officer told the Gestapo that he was very dangerous and to set him aside. But one day he was sent to a military prison and put in a cell with eight other prisoners. He was whipped until he made a mistake. He had been pretending to not understand German. The man who was translating what Andre said made a mistake and andre corrected him. The men knew who he was all along. He was shipped to a concentration camp. On the way to it they were in a boxcar. They were given back all their belongings that were taken when they were arrested. He had a pocket knife in his notebook. Those with knives started cutting away at the wood. They trued desperately to escape. When their fingers became numb others started to pry away floor boards. They got to the camp and were shown to the spigot and then to another boxcar that was practically airtight. Many people had suffocated to death. They were led to showers but they weren’t sure what was showers anymore. Gas chambers were also showers. After that he was sent to the barber. Now he was no longer human. At night he saw others who looked like walking skeletons. In the morning they had roll call. They had to stand in line. The Germans counted and recounted the people. They were weak from lack of food and freezing because of the rain. The they had to haul rocks. Zat darkness they were driven into the barracks. Then they went to a camp called dora. There were mountains around the camp. The mountains were cris-crossed on the inside with tunnels. It as a labyrinth of sorts. Inside the mountains there many different things. Andre somehow managed to get into the rocket making. He survived the rest f the war there.
Vocab
Capitulated-capitulate - surrender under agreed conditions
Unfathomable-of depth; not capable of being sounded or measured
Grotesque-distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous
Interminable-having or seeming of having no end
Snit- a state of agitation
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